Trash or treasure?
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- Victor Jr
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- Joined: Sat Feb 27, 2021 5:29 am
Trash or treasure?
Apologies for the random nature of this post, but this seems like the best place to get some advice. We have inherited 5 dictaphone machines from my mother-in-law. She saved them when they were being thrown out by a local solicitors. They have been gathering dust in out garage for some years and we wanted to work out what to do with them. We both work for museums and the thought of throwing them away after all this time doesn’t feel right to us, so we are hoping that someone can give us some advice on if they are worthy of preservation? We are based in Kent in the UK but think these machines may be American, so are posting here.
- Curt A
- Victor Monarch Special
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Re: Trash or treasure?
What do you want to do with them, they are not trash, but certainly aren't "treasure". Hopefully someone in the UK will want them.
"The phonograph is not of any commercial value."
Thomas Alva Edison - Comment to his assistant, Samuel Insull.
"No one needs a Victrola XX, a Perfected Graphophone Type G, or whatever you call those noisy things."
My Wife
Thomas Alva Edison - Comment to his assistant, Samuel Insull.
"No one needs a Victrola XX, a Perfected Graphophone Type G, or whatever you call those noisy things."
My Wife
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- Victor Monarch Special
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Re: Trash or treasure?
I agree with Curt. They have low value. You can't play entertainment cylinders on them.
Jerry B.
Jerry B.
- Lucius1958
- Victor VI
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Re: Trash or treasure?
The shaving machine may be worth something to anyone who wants to make their own recordings - if the blade is in good shape.
- Bill
- Bill
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- Victor VI
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Re: Trash or treasure?
I think they are beautiful and would make a neat sort of audio guestbook for a gathering or something.
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- Victor VI
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Re: Trash or treasure?
They'll be treasure to somebody.
If you can't be bothered advertising them, don't just throw them away. Give them to lifeline or some other charity so someone can make a little bit of money and they find a new home where they're appreciated.
If you can't be bothered advertising them, don't just throw them away. Give them to lifeline or some other charity so someone can make a little bit of money and they find a new home where they're appreciated.
- Orchorsol
- Victor IV
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Re: Trash or treasure?
Hello Gareth! I'm near Dover too! I also have a set of these machines, slightly later versions - one day I may get round to trying to record with them. They come up for sale occasionally on the likes of eBay and I follow them for interest - sadly, they rarely sell unless very cheap. But as others have said, they can be used for cylinder recording and are worthy of preservation. Unfortunately they are a different format to other cylinder phonographs and the recordings can't be played on other types of machine.
The shaving machines however can be used for normal cylinders, and consequently have more value than the others (for recording and playback) so sadly, these sets often get split up rendering the other machines more or less useless.
Best wishes,
Andy
The shaving machines however can be used for normal cylinders, and consequently have more value than the others (for recording and playback) so sadly, these sets often get split up rendering the other machines more or less useless.
Best wishes,
Andy
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Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe4DNb ... TPE-zTAJGg?
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- Victor Jr
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- Joined: Sat Feb 27, 2021 5:29 am
Re: Trash or treasure?
Sorry for the delay in replying, busy week at work. Thanks for all your help and advice. I think we will post into the sales/swap group and see if anyone would like them for free. It would be great to see them go to a good home.